Explore the best rated trails in Mason City, IA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Wildwood Trail (Austin) and Todd Park Bike Trail. With more than 21 trails covering 165 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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When complete, the Rolling Prairie Tri-County Trail System will connect several communities and two state parks as it travels through quintessential northeastern Iowa prairie. Following an 80-mile...
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Located in the low-lying woodlands in along Wolf Creek, this trail picks up across 11th Street from Todd Park and its paved bike trail. The trail winds through the riparian forests on lands once owned...
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The best place to begin the Trolley Trail is in Mason City in Ray Rorick Skate Park, located adjacent to the 81-acre Lester Milligan Park, which has two fishing and swimming ponds, hiking and biking...
The Todd Park Bike Trail makes use of an old railroad grade to connect recreational destinations in Austin. The paved trail links Todd Park to Mill Pond on the Cedar River. The trail traverses Todd...
The Blazing Star State Trail is located in Albert Lea, near Minnesota’s southern border. The town is known as “The Land Between the Lakes,” and the trail begins on the northern shore of one of the...
The Hynes Spur Trail links the heart of Forest City, Iowa, with its municipal airport to the south. The short paved trail passes through Pammel Park and adjacent to the Bear Creek Golf Course, with...
The Praire Land Trail is envisioned to someday stretch 21 miles across Cerro Gordo county, from Mersevey to Mason City, connecting with Mason City's own network of trails. At present, the first 6...
The NIACC Trail in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, connects the campus of North Iowa Area Community College with the edge of downtown Mason City. The trail provides a convenient and safe alternative to...
The Franklin Grove Heritage Trail rests on top of an abandoned Rock Island railroad corridor that runs through the heart of the small Iowan city of Belmond. The trail connects the residential section...
Sheffield's Path of Progress is a railroad-turned-multiuse-trail. The trail sits on the former Union Pacific right-of-way. The trail surface switches from asphalt in the northern half, to gravel for...
The Wapsi–Great Western Line Trail is a 27-mile pathway on the former Chicago Great Western Railroad. The trail passes through a plethora of backdrops, including wide, rolling landscapes, Iowa...
The Winnebago Trail provides the residents of Mason City with a safe, off-road link to nature, winding 3.7 miles from East Park and through residential areas to the Lime Creek Nature Center as it...
The Hanson Trail is a paved, off-road alternative to State Route 9 in Forest City, Iowa. The trail parallels the road for its entire length through fertile farmland. Forest City and the Winnebago...
Shooting Star State Trail, currently 19 miles long, is an 8-foot-wide asphalt path from LeRoy (east) to Rose Creek (west). It follows an unused railroad bed on Milwaukee Road, which once stretched...
The Three Rivers Trail runs for nearly 40 miles from the small community of Rolfe—named after the early English settler who married Pocahontas—to just west of Eagle Grove. The mostly rural trail is...
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Charles City's Riverside Trail runs for a little over a mile along the banks of the Cedar River, providing gorgeous views and recreational opportunities, as well as access to several city...
The Harry Cook Nature Trail runs for 2 miles from the edge of the small city of Osage, Iowa to the city's public Spring Park. The trail, which opened in the early 1990s, occupies the bed of an...
The Waverly Rail Trail offers a pleasant, small town–meets-rural experience as it travels for 7.6 miles from downtown Waverly to its eastern endpoint north of Denver. It is also part of the Rolling...
The Charley Western Recreational Trailway provides a useful off-road route around the outer limits of Charles City. Built on the site of the former Charles City Western Railway, the trail runs along...
The Cedar River Greenbelt Trail snakes along the west side of the river between Osage and Mitchell. The limestone trail is suitable for walking, jogging, biking and horseback riding. The trail is open...
The NIACC Trail in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, connects the campus of North Iowa Area Community College with the edge of downtown Mason City. The trail provides a convenient and safe alternative to...
The Todd Park Bike Trail makes use of an old railroad grade to connect recreational destinations in Austin. The paved trail links Todd Park to Mill Pond on the Cedar River. The trail traverses Todd...
The Praire Land Trail is envisioned to someday stretch 21 miles across Cerro Gordo county, from Mersevey to Mason City, connecting with Mason City's own network of trails. At present, the first 6...
The Hanson Trail is a paved, off-road alternative to State Route 9 in Forest City, Iowa. The trail parallels the road for its entire length through fertile farmland. Forest City and the Winnebago...
The Charley Western Recreational Trailway provides a useful off-road route around the outer limits of Charles City. Built on the site of the former Charles City Western Railway, the trail runs along...
The Three Rivers Trail runs for nearly 40 miles from the small community of Rolfe—named after the early English settler who married Pocahontas—to just west of Eagle Grove. The mostly rural trail is...
The Harry Cook Nature Trail runs for 2 miles from the edge of the small city of Osage, Iowa to the city's public Spring Park. The trail, which opened in the early 1990s, occupies the bed of an...
When complete, the Rolling Prairie Tri-County Trail System will connect several communities and two state parks as it travels through quintessential northeastern Iowa prairie. Following an 80-mile...
The Blazing Star State Trail is located in Albert Lea, near Minnesota’s southern border. The town is known as “The Land Between the Lakes,” and the trail begins on the northern shore of one of the...
Shooting Star State Trail, currently 19 miles long, is an 8-foot-wide asphalt path from LeRoy (east) to Rose Creek (west). It follows an unused railroad bed on Milwaukee Road, which once stretched...
The best place to begin the Trolley Trail is in Mason City in Ray Rorick Skate Park, located adjacent to the 81-acre Lester Milligan Park, which has two fishing and swimming ponds, hiking and biking...
The Hynes Spur Trail links the heart of Forest City, Iowa, with its municipal airport to the south. The short paved trail passes through Pammel Park and adjacent to the Bear Creek Golf Course, with...
The Waverly Rail Trail offers a pleasant, small town–meets-rural experience as it travels for 7.6 miles from downtown Waverly to its eastern endpoint north of Denver. It is also part of the Rolling...
Charles City's Riverside Trail runs for a little over a mile along the banks of the Cedar River, providing gorgeous views and recreational opportunities, as well as access to several city...
Sheffield's Path of Progress is a railroad-turned-multiuse-trail. The trail sits on the former Union Pacific right-of-way. The trail surface switches from asphalt in the northern half, to gravel for...
The Wapsi–Great Western Line Trail is a 27-mile pathway on the former Chicago Great Western Railroad. The trail passes through a plethora of backdrops, including wide, rolling landscapes, Iowa...
The Franklin Grove Heritage Trail rests on top of an abandoned Rock Island railroad corridor that runs through the heart of the small Iowan city of Belmond. The trail connects the residential section...
Located in the low-lying woodlands in along Wolf Creek, this trail picks up across 11th Street from Todd Park and its paved bike trail. The trail winds through the riparian forests on lands once owned...
The Cedar River Greenbelt Trail snakes along the west side of the river between Osage and Mitchell. The limestone trail is suitable for walking, jogging, biking and horseback riding. The trail is open...
The Winnebago Trail provides the residents of Mason City with a safe, off-road link to nature, winding 3.7 miles from East Park and through residential areas to the Lime Creek Nature Center as it...
The NIACC Trail in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, connects the campus of North Iowa Area Community College with the edge of downtown Mason City. The trail provides a convenient and safe alternative to...
Sheffield's Path of Progress is a railroad-turned-multiuse-trail. The trail sits on the former Union Pacific right-of-way. The trail surface switches from asphalt in the northern half, to gravel for...
The Waverly Rail Trail offers a pleasant, small town–meets-rural experience as it travels for 7.6 miles from downtown Waverly to its eastern endpoint north of Denver. It is also part of the Rolling...
Shooting Star State Trail, currently 19 miles long, is an 8-foot-wide asphalt path from LeRoy (east) to Rose Creek (west). It follows an unused railroad bed on Milwaukee Road, which once stretched...
The Praire Land Trail is envisioned to someday stretch 21 miles across Cerro Gordo county, from Mersevey to Mason City, connecting with Mason City's own network of trails. At present, the first 6...
The Wapsi–Great Western Line Trail is a 27-mile pathway on the former Chicago Great Western Railroad. The trail passes through a plethora of backdrops, including wide, rolling landscapes, Iowa...
The best place to begin the Trolley Trail is in Mason City in Ray Rorick Skate Park, located adjacent to the 81-acre Lester Milligan Park, which has two fishing and swimming ponds, hiking and biking...
The Winnebago Trail provides the residents of Mason City with a safe, off-road link to nature, winding 3.7 miles from East Park and through residential areas to the Lime Creek Nature Center as it...
The Cedar River Greenbelt Trail snakes along the west side of the river between Osage and Mitchell. The limestone trail is suitable for walking, jogging, biking and horseback riding. The trail is open...
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The Shell Rock River Trail, also known as the Butler County Nature Trail, connects the eastern edge of Clarksville with the community of Shell Rock. The trail runs through open fields and at times...
The Blazing Star State Trail is located in Albert Lea, near Minnesota’s southern border. The town is known as “The Land Between the Lakes,” and the trail begins on the northern shore of one of the...
The Hynes Spur Trail links the heart of Forest City, Iowa, with its municipal airport to the south. The short paved trail passes through Pammel Park and adjacent to the Bear Creek Golf Course, with...
The Todd Park Bike Trail makes use of an old railroad grade to connect recreational destinations in Austin. The paved trail links Todd Park to Mill Pond on the Cedar River. The trail traverses Todd...
When complete, the Rolling Prairie Tri-County Trail System will connect several communities and two state parks as it travels through quintessential northeastern Iowa prairie. Following an 80-mile...
The Hanson Trail is a paved, off-road alternative to State Route 9 in Forest City, Iowa. The trail parallels the road for its entire length through fertile farmland. Forest City and the Winnebago...
Located in the low-lying woodlands in along Wolf Creek, this trail picks up across 11th Street from Todd Park and its paved bike trail. The trail winds through the riparian forests on lands once owned...
The Franklin Grove Heritage Trail rests on top of an abandoned Rock Island railroad corridor that runs through the heart of the small Iowan city of Belmond. The trail connects the residential section...
The Three Rivers Trail runs for nearly 40 miles from the small community of Rolfe—named after the early English settler who married Pocahontas—to just west of Eagle Grove. The mostly rural trail is...
Charles City's Riverside Trail runs for a little over a mile along the banks of the Cedar River, providing gorgeous views and recreational opportunities, as well as access to several city...
The Harry Cook Nature Trail runs for 2 miles from the edge of the small city of Osage, Iowa to the city's public Spring Park. The trail, which opened in the early 1990s, occupies the bed of an...
Drove to Lake Louise Sate Park on Monday May 16, 2022 and rode the short section of the trail located within the park boundaries. Also rode south out of the park to the trailhead in Leroy and back to the park. The ride to Leroy and back was especially beautiful as we were surrounded on both sides by seas of blooming Virginia Bluebells. Just before getting to Leroy the trail crosses a river on a trestle bridge and from there, we saw a goose nesting on a little island below. Just before that point we encountered two wild turkeys crossing the trail. Within Lake Louise State park while riding through a grassy prairie area, we saw Turkey Vultures kettling, a Bobolink and an Indigo Bunting. Lovely time of year to be riding in this area.
Grade the trail! This review serves as a guide so that you know what condition the trail is in before you go. Here is the code:
A – Excellent condition, new or like-new.
B – Very good condition, not new, but still a great trail.
C – Fair condition, starting to see a fair amount of ruts, bumps or heaves.
D – Poor condition, lots of ruts, bumps or heaves.
F – Very poor condition, would not recommend riding this trail at all.
From Leroy to Taopi = D/F – in need of lots of repairs. From Taopi to Rose Creek = B. I have not ridden the section from Rose Creek to Nicolville, but would assume it is fairly new like the section from Taopi to Rose Creek.
Overall rating of 3 stars because of the bad section.
This trail wonders through tree tunnels, bridges over train tracks, grassy fields full of wildflowers and spotted several groups of deer. Many places along the route however have bad cracks and yes I worried about my spokes as did the 2014 reviewer. Was surprised to see the 2017 review said it was newly paved. Beautiful ride just watch the road.
We only walked a bit of the trail, but saw no one on it the whole 30-45 min we were on it.
Awesome biking trail! Very smooth packed gravel trail. Restrooms and air stations available in some areas. Plan full day and bring water/energy bars.
This trail needs a bit more love. A lot of cracks. And gritty parts when your out in the open due to weathering. Head wind is a thing to be aware of on this trail it is very exposed the further you get in.
Rode Norh from Riceville to end of paved trail ~10 miles. In McIntire watch for signs on the back of street signs to navigate through town and checkout Goosey's bar an grill if you are hungry. Saw Amish horses and farms.
This trail is nicely paved with asphalt. It was expanded in 2019 for .6 miles to the northeast and .6 miles to the southeast, now making it 3.0 miles long. There are sunny areas and shady areas. It is bike, walker, jogger and wheelchair friendly. The trail features a Story Walk along with a Little Free Library. There are all kinds of parks and activities nearby: disk golf, swimming, tennis, skateboard facility, playgrounds, picnic spots, and brand new in 2020, a pickleball court. If you are hungry, you can find hamburgers, pizza, sub sandwiches, Mexican food and ice cream in Belmond. A nice system of sidewalks connect the trail to the whole town.
I returned to this trail this year. However I started in Elma and rode to the Minnesota border. They are putting up more signage on the trail. There was water covering a portion on the north branch, north of McIntyre on the trail. It was shallow enough to ride through. A lot of different scenery on the trail.
It’s a pretty nice rides. Some of the asphalt has holes and cracks in it but just watch where you ride. Trail is mainly covered by trees so very shady.
Nice paved trail. Good trailhead facilities. Depot that serves pizza next to trail. Nestle Quik rabbit and mug statues a treat for the kids. Lots of trees for shade. Well signed at intersection w/ Readlyn trail. Big wide bridge in town. Does it really get any better than this?
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